Indians can’t finish the deal for Masterson

By Paul Hoynes

Cleveland Plain Dealer

MINNEAPOLIS

Justin Masterson is streaking again. What’s more he’s going in the right direction.

The problem is the Indians aren’t following him — again.

Masterson pitched 72/3 scoreless innings Tuesday night, but Chris Perez couldn’t hold a 1-0 lead in the ninth inning as the Twins rallied for a 2-1 victory at Target Field. Danny Valencia won it with a two-run, bases-loaded single that fell in front of Luis Valbuena, who was playing left field because manager Manny Acta ran out of outfielders because of illness and injury.

It was Perez’s second blown save of the season. He’d converted 16 straight and 22 of 23 this season.

Perez started the ninth by retiring Alexi Casilla, but lost control of the strike zone and the game. He walked Joe Mauer, gave up a double to Michael Cuddyer and intentionally walked Jim Thome to load the bases.

Masterson was brilliant into the eighth and Asdrubal Cabrera drove in the only run until the ninth.

Masterson opened the season with five straight victories in his first five starts. He was winless in his next 11 starts, going 0-6 as the Indians supported him with only 22 runs.

On his current run, Masterson is 3-0 in his last five appearances. On another hot night in Minneapolis, Masterson dominated the Twins with his fastball. He threw 69 percent of his pitches for strikes, allowed four hits, struck out six and didn’t walk a batter.

After giving up a single to Young in the second, Masterson retired 13 straight.

Mauer started the seventh by reaching first on a throwing error by shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera. Cuddyer followed with a single as the Twins crowd of 38,473 finally came to life. Masterson struck out Thome, four homers shy of 600, and Masterson ended the inning by getting Valencia to ground into a 5-4-3 double play. He’d thrown 90 pitches.

Masterson came out for the eighth. He struck out Young, gave up an infield single to Tsuyoshi Nishioka and struck out pinch hitter Trevor Plouffe. Tony Sipp relieved and retired Ben Revere.

The Indians loaded the bases against Francisco Liriano in the fifth with no one out. Lou Marson singled, Travis Buck was hit in the head by a pitch and Ezequiel Carrera singled to right.

Pinch-runner Valbuena replaced Buck. Orlando Cabrera, after a long at-bat, popped out to short. Asdrubal Cabrera, who entered the game hitting .579 (11-for-19) against Liriano, sent a fly ball to right to score Marson. Santana popped out to second to end the inning.

Buck was a late replacement for left fielder Michael Brantley, who couldn’t play because of an upset stomach.